Flora of New Zealand Series

Type : * Myxophora amerospora Döbbeler & Poelt

Description : Lichenicolous on mosses and cyanobacterial lichens (Collema, Leptogium, Placynthium). Ascomata pseudothecia, immersed to semi-immersed in host tissue, with a central ostiole. Periphyses present, colourless, unbranched or branched. Interascal filaments septate, unbranched or slightly branched. Asci bitunicate, functionally fissitunicate, thick-walled, cylindrical to clavate with an inconspicuous ocular chamber, 4–8-spored. Ascospores colourless, simple, fusiform, ovoid to widely ellipsoidal, thick-walled, surface smooth without a perispore, sometimes with gelatinous apical appendages.

Myxophora is a genus of seven species worldwide (Hafellner 2004c), found as parasites on bryophytes and lichens and very easily overlooked (Döbbeler 1978, 1995; Hoffmann & Hafellner 2000; Hafellner 2004c). It is included in the family Pseudoperisporiaceae (Eriksson et al. 2004). One species is recorded from New Zealand (Hoffmann & Hafellner 2000).